MANHATTAN, Kan. – Jerry Kill, who has spent the past year as Associate Athletics Director for Administration working with the Wildcat football program, will return to the sidelines as a full-time coach as he has been named offensive coordinator at Rutgers, the school announced today.
“K-State came at a perfect time for me, and I am forever grateful to John Currie and Coach Bill Snyder for providing this wonderful opportunity for Rebecca and me,” Kill said. “I have met so many terrific people and learned so much during my time here, both on the administrative side and the football side working alongside an icon in Coach Snyder. My passion is to coach football and impact the lives of young people every day, and my experience at K-State will no doubt make me a better and more well-rounded football coach and person.”
“We were blessed to have Jerry and Rebecca here in the K-State and Manhattan communities this past year,” Athletics Director John Currie said. “Even though his tenure proved to be short, his impact as a vital member of our senior athletics staff was significant from the day he arrived and his efforts to make our department and students better will continue to pay dividends for K-State. We understand his passion and desire for coaching, and the opportunity to get back on the field and coordinate an offense and work with Coach Ash was one he felt he could not pass up. We will always consider Coach and Rebecca to be members of the extended K-State Family and wish them all the best at Rutgers.”
A three-time national coach of the year honoree, Kill spent the past year as a senior departmental staff member and chief administrator for the K-State football program. Deputy Athletics Director and former K-State linebacker Laird Veatch will take over sport administrative duties vacated by Kill, Currie said.
“We are happy for Jerry and his wife Rebecca,” said head coach Bill Snyder. “Sean and I have developed a very close relationship with them over the past several months and enjoyed our time together. Jerry enjoyed being a part of our football program and we enjoyed our time with him. He is a hard worker who cares about young people and will have a very positive impact on their lives at Rutgers.”
Kill recorded winning seasons in 15 of his 22 years as a college head coach. He most recently coached at Minnesota, from 2011-2015, where he took the Gophers to heights not seen in recent years. In year four, Kill led Minnesota to a January 1 bowl game for the first time since 1962 and coached the Gophers to wins against Michigan and Iowa, which had previously not happened in the same season since 1967. Under Kill’s direction, Minnesota also won eight games in both 2013 and 2014, which marked only the fifth time since 1906 that Minnesota won eight games in consecutive seasons.
In his previous four stops as a head coach, he never left a school with a sub-.500 record, and in three of his previous four head coaching positions, he took over a team with a losing record and turned in a winning season in three years or less.
Prior to his stint at Minnesota, Kill led Northern Illinois to 23 wins and three consecutive bowl games during his tenure and also coached NIU to a berth the Mid-American Conference Championship game in 2010.
Prior to serving as the head coach at NIU, Kill was in charge of the football program at Southern Illinois, an FCS program in Carbondale, Ill. He spent seven years on the Saluki sideline and compiled a 55-32 record. Kill’s record over his final five seasons with Southern Illinois was 50-14 and included five consecutive NCAA FCS Playoff appearances.
Kill was the head coach at Emporia (Kan.) State for two seasons in 1999-2000. He went 11-11 with the Hornets, who play at the NCAA Division II level. Prior to Emporia State, Kill was the head coach at NCAA Division II member Saginaw Valley State from 1994-1998. He compiled a 38-14 record with the Cardinals.
– k-statesports.com –
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KENNY LANNOU
Associate A.D. for Communications | K-State Athletics
